In this candid memoir, renowned designer Donna Karan shares intimate
details about her lonely childhood, her four-plus decades in the fashion
industry, her two marriages, motherhood, and her ongoing quest for
self-acceptance and spiritual peace.

Donna Karan was born
into the fashion business—her father was a tailor, and her mother was a
showroom model and Seventh Avenue saleswoman—yet Karan dreamed of
becoming a dancer like Martha Graham or a singer like Barbra Streisand.
Fashion was her destiny, though. My Journey traces Karan’s early
days as an intern at Anne Klein, the creation of her Seven Easy Pieces
(which forever changed the way working women dressed), and the meteoric
rise of her company. Along with juicy industry stories, Karan candidly
discusses her difficult mother and traumatic childhood, her turbulent
romantic life, all the loved ones she has lost over the years, and the
personal awakening that occurred just as she reached the height of
professional and financial success.

That awakening set Karan down
a path of spiritual discovery and self-improvement. From est to
Kabbalah, from silent retreats to leech therapy, Karan tried everything
to find, as she writes, “calm in the chaos.” But she also reveals how a
chaotic life, fueled by endless curiosity and childlike impulses, helped
her design seminal collections season after season for global
powerhouse brands Donna Karan New York and DKNY. She also details how
she has channeled her creativity (and her urge to solve problems and
nurture others) into philanthropic work, particularly her early
outspoken advocacy for AIDS awareness and research, and the creation of
her Urban Zen Foundation, focusing on integrated healthcare and
education as well as preservation of culture, which led to her current
efforts in Haiti.

Karan’s life has been crowded with glamorous
characters and adventures around the world. But she sometimes still
feels like that awkward teen from Long Island who never fit in—which
makes her all the more endearing. Brimming with Karan’s infectious
energy, My Journey is about much more than the fashion world: It
is the story of a young woman whose vision and hard work made her a role
model for women everywhere—a woman who dreamed big, fought to have it
all, broke the rules, and loved passionately along the way.

Includes an introduction and interview read by the author.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Donna Karan was born in Queens and raised on Long Island, New
York. She attended Parsons School of Design before beginning her career
with an internship at Anne Klein, where she rose to head designer in
1974 at age twenty-five. She and her husband, Stephan Weiss, founded
Donna Karan International, launching the Donna Karan New York collection
in 1985, DKNY in 1989, and a beauty line in 1992. Karan’s philanthropic
efforts are extensive: A longtime board member of the CFDA (Council of
Fashion Designers of America), she conceived its Seventh on Sale benefit
to raise funds for AIDS awareness and education, and has co-chaired the
New York Kids for Kids event for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS
Foundation. Since 1993 she has co-chaired Super Saturday, an annual
designer flea market/barbecue to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research
Fund. In 2007, Karan established Urban Zen, a luxury lifestyle brand and
foundation that addresses wellness, education, and the preservation of
culture through their artisan communities, most notably in Haiti where
she is now partnering with Parsons School of Design for vocational
education. The CFDA has honored Karan six times; in 2004 she received
its Lifetime Achievement Award. Karan has a daughter, Gabby Karan de
Felice; two stepchildren, Corey and Lisa Weiss; and a total of seven
grandchildren.

PRAISE FOR MY JOURNEY:

“Donna’s creativity and passion as a committed philanthropist are
matched only by her gift for friendship. Whether she’s making the world
more beautiful or giving a Haitian artisan the tools to create a
sustainable business, Donna has always led with great heart and
wonderful humor.”—President Bill Clinton

“What we take for
granted often comes from the most revolutionary of sources. In New York
in the 1980s, no one was more radical than Donna Karan. She created a
way of dressing that was womanly, practical, and empowering.”—Anna Wintour

“My Journey
is the story of an extraordinary personal, professional, and spiritual
life. It’s a journey defined by Donna’s incredible resilience, her
inward search for calm in the midst of success, and her insistence on
always following her heart.”—Arianna Huffington

“Anyone
who has ever watched Donna Karan in the dressing room with one of her
loyal customers has witnessed a bond between designer and client that is
as vital as an umbilical cord. That same bond is present on every page
of this memoir.”—Ingrid Sischy

“Donna demonstrates
unwavering passion and commitment to women, family, design and all of
humanity with her immense philanthropic work. Her story is fascinating!”—Calvin Klein

GIVEAWAY

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PENGUIN/RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO,I HAVE ONE COPY OF THIS

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